Sucker-rod fishing tool



July 16, 1929.

J. E. REYNOLDSv ET Al.

SUCKER ROD FISHING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 2l, 1927 SUCKER ROD FISHING TOOL Filed March 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACK E. REYNOLDS AND HERMAN R. LLOYD, OF TAFT, AND ROBERT W. GUNN, OF

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA; SAID GUN N `ASSIGN OR LLOYD.

TO SAID REYNOLDS AND SAID STICKER-ROD FISHING TOOL.

Application filed March 21, 1927. Serial No. 176,890.

This invention has to do generally with iishing tools and is more particularly concerned with grapples suitable for withdrawing broken sucker rods, though not necessarily limited to this specific use.

In a patent granted jointly to Herman R. Lloyd and Jack E. Reynolds, two of the present inventors, on Sucker rod tishing tool, issued February 16, 1926, No. 1,573,408, there is disclosed a tool of the general character here set forth. However, the present invention has certain features not shown in the patent, and the general effect of these features is to improve the patent tool as to ease and cost of manufacture and efficiency of operation.

We will here outline a few of the more important features, though others may be discussed to better advantage in the following detailed description. In the patented device the movable slip is held against transverse displacement by means of a headed pin adapted to slide through a slot extending longitudinally of the barrel. This slotting of the barrel weakened it so that failures sometimes occuri-ed during operation of the tool, requiring that the tool itself be fished from the hole. Furthermore, this arrangement necessitated an elongation on the slip to carry the slip pin and created certain ditliculties of assembly. In contradistinction to this, we have here provided a very simply formed slip which is held from transverse displacement by inwardly projecting, longitudinally extending shoulders on the body member, the shoulders be- I ing formed, for instance, either by keys, preferably inset, or by rolling over the cut edges of the barrel.

By virtue of this provision, the` barrel re-V` mains unweakened, the cost of manufacture and assembly is decreased, and the slips work with greater freedom.

In the patented device, the shoulders in the barrel for limiting slip-movement andv for taking the collar of the lost rod were formed by application of a stepped bushing to the barrel bore. It was then di'licult to secure the necessary clearances and eective shoulder extent without either making the overall diameter of the tool too large or reducing certain extents of the vbore unduly. These conditions we have avoided in the manner set out in detail below. Y

The shoulder arrangement of the patented device was such that the slip had a projection Vof relatively restricted diameter.

extending normally below the limit shoulder 0n the barrel, said projection being adapted t0 be engaged by the broken rod when the tool was lowered thercover, but there were left two slip shoulders above this projection which might be accidentally engaged by the rod after the slip has been movedupwardly, such engagement tending to prevent proper operation of the tool. Even though this accidental engagement might not often occur, the provision of the several slip shoulders is a 1nanu facturing draw-back.

7ek have overcome the objectionable features enumerated in the paragraph next above by a novel arrangement which may be set forth to better advantage in the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is an elevation of a tool embodying our mventlon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 illustrates one method of making up the barrel of the tool; i

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another stage of operation;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing another stage of operation;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a variational embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, the barrel of our device is generally indicated at 10, the upper portion of the barrel being cut away at one side 11 leaving an arcuate shell 12. The extent a. of the lower portion of the barrel is of circular cross-section and ofy relatively large diameter, while extent b which extends upwardly from the inwardly beveled end 13 to a point spaced below extentv a, is of circular cross-section but Extent o, intermediate extents a, b, has the cross-sectional characteristics clearly shown in Fig. 6. there thus being provided upwardly facing spaced, semi-annular shoulders 14 and 1:3 at- `the opposite ends of the intermediate extent,

which shoulders Vare at opposite sidesof an axial plane of the tool and each of about 180o angular extent. It will be noted that the barrel is unslotted `or closed at the side of and above the lower shoulder, contributing greatly to the ultimate strength of the tool.

These variational diameters and resultant shoulders may be readily obtained by making up the barrel from the two parts A and B (Fig.V 3) which are welded together after necessary machining has been done on the plain, tubular stock of which part B may be made. n

A slip 16 is adapted to slide longitudinally through the shell portion o the barrel at the side diametrically opposite cut-out 11 and to and from extents a and c at the side ot the lower shoulder. In order to hold the slip from transverse displacement, I provide a pair of longitudinally extending shoulders 17 and 18 projecting inwardly from the barrel. These shoulders may be provided in any suitable manner; for instance, by keys 19 secured to the barrel or by rolling over the edges ot' part A of barrel 10' in Figs. 8 and 9, part Bv of this ligure being' generally similar to part B, as are all the rest oi the corresponding elements.

It will be seen that shoulders 17, 17, 18, or keys 19 may be considered as means igor holding the slip against the barrel above shoulder 14 and'or guiding the slip into engagement; with said shoulders. llurthermore, vtaking the axial plane of the barrel which is common to these shoulders or keys as a datum plane, it will be seen that the bore olf lextent c has, at one side ol' said plane, a radius equal tothe radius of the bore of extent a and, at the opposite side of said plane, a radius equal to the radius of the bore of extent Z).

lhen keys 19 are used they may be secured inV any suitable manner, though We find it convenient to provide milled-through key ways 20 in which the keysare set and welded with their outer faces flush with the peripheral face of the barrel, full barrel vstrength thus being maintained. l

Preferably, slip 16 is made from semi-cylind rical stock, its peripheral :tace being in itull engagement with the inner face of the barrel,

and it is cut centrally to provide an inward-` ly and upwardly inclining cam tace 21 which is ofl variable curvature from top to bottom. Thestraight side edges 22 are adapted to en,1 gage shoulders 17, transverse displacement of the slip thus being prevented, or, in other words, the slip is so confined by shoulders 17 that throughout its vertical Vmovement it is in alinement with shoulder 14'which may be considered as extending, in effect, 'angularly from key to key. The longitudinally extend ing shoulders v17LL extending from shoulder 14 to 15` engage edges 22 to hold the slip'from transverse displacement when it is in Zone or extent 0.

Downward movement of slip 16 is limited by the engagement of its lower i'ace or shouli' der 23 with internal shoulder 14, while its upward movement is limited by 'engagementof its top or upper tace`24 with downwardly facing shoulder 25 of' a stop block 26 welded or otherwise suitably secured 'to the barrel.

Slip 16 normally rests inV its lowermost position A(F ig. 2) the partsl preferably, though not necessarily, being so proportioned that shoulder Q4 is in line with shoulder 15. The throat T, defined, bythe barrel and the upper edge of the slip, is of a size to pass,

with clearance, the body 2T of a given sucker rod 28 which may be considered lost in tubing 29, barrel 10 being ot a. diameter to pass with slight clearance through the tubing. However, throat T is restricted below the diameter of the coupling parts 30 of rod 28, thoughl bore extent a is large enough to take such parts with considerable clearance.

is the tool is lowered towards rod QS, bevel 13 guides the rod into the barrel. bore, the cam face 21, which may be considered a part ot' the slip extending radially inwardly beyond or appreciably overhanging shoulder 14, engaging' coupling part 30. rThe slip then remains stationary while the barrel continues down, until coupling` part 3() registers with cut-out 11. This cut-out is of a width to allow transverse movement ot the coupling parts therethrough, and, under certain con ditions, as soon as the coupling part clears extent a, the rod swings to the left in Fig. 1 clearing said part from beneath cam face 21 and allowing the slip to drop back to the position oi Figs. 2 or 7. Should the transverse movement of the rod not occur as the coupling part moves along shell 12, the slip is held above the coupling part until it is struck by stop 26, (Fig. 5) whereupon further descension of the barrel causes the slip to have positive cam action Von thecoupling part and swing the latter to the left, as in Fig. 5, until the part clears the slip. Thereupon the slip immediately gravitates to the position ot Fig. 7. The barrel may be raised as soon as the slip strikes home on shoulder 14, whether or not it has previously been engagedby stop Q6, the body portion of the rod being taken in throat T while the coupling part venters extent a and has down-bearing on shoulders 15 and 24. Consequently, subsequent withdrawal of the barrel, which is controlled 'from above by rods (not shown) coupled to the upwardly efe Y tending shank S, pulls the rod upwardly.

Vhile it is preferable, it is not always necessary that the coupling-part shoulder at 15, nor

lchanges vin design,r structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of said claims.

We claim: y

1. In atool of the character described, a

CII

vertical barrel, a pair of longitudinally spaced, semi-annular shoulders extending radially from opposite sides of the barrel into the barrel bore, the barrel being closed at the side of and above the lower shoulder, and a slip movable longitudinally through the barrel into and out oi' end engagement with the lower shoulder, the upper end of the slip being substantially in horizontal alinement with the upper shoulder when the slip engages the lower shoulder, the slip having a portion extending radially inward an appreciable distance beyond the lower shoulder.

2. ln a tool of the character described, a vertical barrel having a portion near its lower end whose bore is circular and a second portion spaced upwardly from the first 1nentioned portion whose bore is circular and is concentric with but of greater diameter than the first mentioned bore, the portion ot the barrel intermediate said iirst and second mentioned portions having a bore which, at one side of a given axial plane of the barrel, has a radius substantially equal to the radius of the bore of said lower portion and which, at the opposite side of said plane, has a radius substantially equal to the radius of the bore of said upper portion, all in a manner whereby there are formed at the opposite ends of said intermediate portion and at opposite sides of the barrel a pair of vertically spaced, upwardly facing semi-annular shoulders, and a slip movable longitudinally through the barrel into and out of end engagement with the lower shoulder, the upper end of the slip being substantially in horizontal alinement with the upper shoulder when it is in engagement with the lower shoulder.

3. In a tool of the character described, a vertical barrel, a pair of longitudinally spaced shoulders extending radially from opposite sides ol the barrel into the bore, the barrel being closed at the side of and above the lower shoulder, a slip movable longitudinally through'the barrel into and out of end engagement with the lower shoulder, and means holding said slip in engagement with said closed side of the barrel and guiding the slip into engagement with said lower shoulder,

the upper end of the slip being substantially i in horizontal alinement with the upper' shoulder when the slip is in engagement with the lower shoulder, the slip having a portion extending radially inward beyond the lower shoulder.

JACK E. REYNOLDS. HERMAN R. LLOYD. ROBERT W. GUNN. 

